1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual hybrid heating apparatus. The apparatus satisfies a demand for domestic hot water by heating potable water by heat exchange with a fluid heated from waste heat of at least one heat recovery unit and with insolation from at least one solar collector. Once the demand is satisfied, the heated fluid is then vaporized with a parabolic dish solar concentrator (collector) and fed to a turbine that generates electricity for a power grid. One or more controllers direct operation of equipment and in-line valves to operate the dual hybrid heating apparatus based on sensor readings in a manner that satisfies the demand and generates the electricity without damaging the equipment from overheating.
2. State of the Art
US patent application publication no. 2010003953 and US patent application publication no. 20100257882 are known. The former divulges a water heating system for controlling the heating of potable water in commercial or private dwellings with improved energy efficiency. The water heating system heats potable water in a tank by transferring excess heat generated in a refrigeration unit with a heat exchanger, and by extracting energy from insolation with a solar water heater unit. The system includes several control systems for regulating the operation of the heat exchanger, solar water heater unit, and refrigeration unit to provide increased energy efficiency and longevity to the various components of the system. The latter divulges a hybrid heating apparatus heats potable water with waste heat from heat recovery units and insolation from solar collectors. A single circulation pump circulates fluid between at least one heat exchanger and each of the heat recovery units and preferably the solar collector. A single controller receives sensor readings from the heat recovery units and the solar collector units and receives a demand to heat the potable water. To satisfy the demand, the controller determines the extent to which the demand may be satisfied from heat available from the heat recovery units and the solar collector units and sends command signals both to the circulating pump to circulate the fluid and to appropriate ones of valves at connections to those heat recovery units and solar collector units to allow fluid to circulate to be heated to flow to the heat exchanger for effecting heat exchange to heat the potable water. Once the demand for heated potable water is satisfied, the fluid from the solar collection units is routed to a heat dump.